Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) President Patrick Yarde has urged citizens to reflect on their lives and on the direction of the state and to take decisive action this year to bring about the changes they desire.
In a press release, Yarde said on considering the past year it is clear that the struggle to restore labour rights nationally continues. He noted too that the pattern set by the government in its treatment of workers has served to encourage other employers to emulate its behaviour.
Though 2010 has just ended the struggle for the rights and just rewards for workers will intensify as the union believes that this year can become a defining moment in Guyana’s history; one in which citizens decide to stem the slide into indecency, chaos and undemocratic rule to renewed hope and a shared vision of unity, balanced growth and a prosperous future. Yarde urges the nation to consider the character of the society, the system of government, the role of the state, its position and direction and their individual families’ existence.
He noted that the arbitrary imposition of salary increases and other benefits and conditions, in the process repudiating legally binding collective bargaining agreements; failing to bargain in good faith with recognised unions in violation of the law pertaining to such practices, attempting to ignore recognised unions and have them de-recognised, while at the same time encouraging members of recognised unions to cancel their membership, dissuading workers from joining unions, the arbitrary cancellation of check-off systems, knowing their debilitating effects on trade unions and their acidities “are all within our experience and in danger of becoming common practice in Guyana.”
According to the release the GPSU addressed many key matters last year such as the unsatisfactory administration and performance of the Public Service Commission, for which little or no real results were realised. It also addressed the absence of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal which is the constitutional body for which petitions against unfair and irregular treatment of public service workers are adjudicated and the unreasonable and continued arbitrary imposition of wages/salaries to public servants in December, to no avail.
The GPSU said labour relations need to be conducted with civility with trade unions playing a vital part in that process. “It has to move from current one-sided approach, in which the Government, as the principal employer, adopts an uncompromising and inflexible stance, to one of mutual respect and cooperation” in order to boost working conditions and general welfare of workers. According to the release there must be productive dialogue between the state authorities and trade unions as well as constructive relationships more generally. The GPSU head said it is crucial that Guyanese stop being indifferent to what happens in the their country and instead become their brother’s keeper in fundamental areas such as human rights, the rule of law and justice.
